Dichrostachys cinerea is a medicinal plant used in the traditional Indian system of medicine and is widely advocated in diuretic, lithotriptic, anodyne, digestive, constipating, and inflammatory conditions. Also it is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, arthralgia, elephantiasis, dyspepsia, diarrhea, vesicle calculi, strangury, nephropathy, vaginopathy and metropathy.(Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol.2 p.330). It is useful in opthalmia, rheumatism, urinary calculi and renal troubles.(Wealth of India Vol.3 p.56). It is further reported to possess protease inhibitor activity(CA, 90, 118086u), fungi toxic activity (Ind. J. plant. Physiol, 1986, 29(3), 278-80.), antibacterial (Fitoterapia, 1988, 59(1), 57-62.). Hence it becomes pertinent to look for the molecules possessing such important biological properties. In this connection, the phytochemical investigation of Dichrostachys cinerea has been taken up. The applicants made efforts for the isolation of a compound (−)-epicatechin in highly economical yield.